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Photo: Leigh Beisch
The Mediterranean diet, also known as Med diet, is what many consider the gold standard when it comes to eating. This is because olive oil intake and plant-rich eating continue to be credited with improving health and reducing risk for many chronic diseases down the road. A 2022 study published inPLOS Medicinesuggested that adopting a Mediterranean diet can even add years—up to a decade—to your life!
Why the Mediterranean Diet Is So Healthy
The Norwegian study considered meta-analyses' results and data collected in theGlobal Burden of Disease, which examined causes of death, prevalence of 369 diseases and injuries, and 87 risk factors in over 204 countries and territories. They used these factors to create a highly predictive model that calculates a person’s lifespan based on their diet. Researchers then used the model to estimate an individual’s lifespan when eating the standard American diet and compared that to the lifespan estimate for that same individual when they followed an “optimized diet” which mirrored theMediterranean diet.
Check out the impact they found that eating a Mediterranean diet pattern has on one’s longevity:
These predictions are impressive and highlight the powerful influence that diet has on health. But howexactlydoes following the Mediterranean diet add these extra years?
Experts agree that it’s the collective synergy from all of the components in the diet: things such as antioxidants, phytochemicals,omega-3 fatty acidsand fiber, not one specific food group. These components work together to improve health and, more importantly, reduce disease risk, which adds years to your life.
Here are six (of the many) ways that the Mediterranean diet helps you live longer.
1. Reduces Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke
According to a review published in 2019 inCirculation Research, the lower rate of heart disease in those living in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea during the 1950s and ’60s first caught the attention of U.S. researchers. These results caused them to examine the traditional Mediterranean diet. More than 60 years later, research continues to suggest that adherence to the Mediterranean diet significantly reduces one’s risk of heart attack, stroke and coronary artery disease. However, it’s important to note that the Med diet can be adopted regardless of your geographic setting and can be personalized to your needs, preferences and health condition.
2. Minimizes Effects of Stress and Quells Inflammation
10 Ways to Reduce Inflammation
3. Lowers Cancer Risk and Recurrence
Research published in 2019 inNutrientspointed to the diet’s high level of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds as having a protective effect against cancerous cell mutations. Additionally, these compounds can reduce the growth and metastasis of cancer cells. Further, a Mediterranean diet may lower the risk of recurrence and mortality for some cancers such as breast, colorectal and prostate, per a 2022 article published inNutrients.
4. Decreases Risk of Type 2 Diabetes and Complications
These 7 Things Could Make You More Likely to Get Diabetes, According to a Dietitian
5. Slows Cognitive Decline
6. Promotes Bone Density
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